3rd T20: Du Plessis, Duminy lift South Africa to 163-3

Hambantota: Skipper Faf du Plessis hit 85 off 65 balls as South Africa piled up a commanding 163-3 in the final Twenty20 international against Sri Lanka in Hambantota on Tuesday.

Du Plessis, who won the toss for the third time in a row and elected to bat, smashed 10 boundaries and three sixes during a third-wicket stand of 112 with JP Duminy. Left-handed Duminy remained unbeaten on a 34-ball 51 that contained three fours and two sixes as South Africa put on a thrilling exhibition of power hitting in the day-night match. The Proteas, already enjoying an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series, will look for a clean sweep to make amends for the 1-4 defeat in the preceding one-day internationals. Sri Lanka, the world`s top-ranked Twenty20 side, will slip to number three behind Pakistan and South Africa if they lose the series 3-0. But the hosts rested their two main players, batsman Kumar Sangakkara and fast bowler Lasith Malinga, and recalled Tillakaratne Dilshan and Suranga Lakmal. Du Plessis and Duminy put on their century stand after opener Henry Davids had beeen dismissed off the first ball of the match, leg-before to seamer Nuwan Kulasekara. Quinton de Kock helped his captain carry the total to 45-1 in the eighth over, before he was leg-before off Ajantha Mendis` second delivery. Duminy hit his 100th six in Twenty20 internationals when he lofted Kulasekara over the mid-wicket fence in the 17th over. Du Plessis was dismissed in the final over, bowled by Lakmal. AFP